Windows Automatic Update for Microsoft Windows 8 is the most annoying thing in the world to many. It feels like there is no way to stop Windows Automatic Update from happening and it even feels like when an update is needed a computer becomes slower, it performs much worse than ever before. In some cases Windows Update will continuously fail during the restart process, resulting in a never-ending loop of slower computer performance and waiting for Windows Update to fail all over again until the next time around. And in other cases, Windows Update just takes too long to update – and no one likes to wait.

I personally distaste Windows Automatic Update with a spiteful rage-filled burning passion and find it a total unnecessary nuisance and waste of valuable time. Windows Automatic update has cost me many hours I will never get back. It has derailed and suspended work projects and stopped me in my tracks many times. I have probably even broken numerous items around the office, including a perfectly wonderful Toshiba computer that I miss dearly due to getting hit with an unsuspected update in the middle of important tasks. Windows Automatic Update certainly brings out the worst in a human.

In some events I have even suspected that I turned off Windows Automatic Update only to find the “Failure configuring Windows updates. Reverting changes. Do not turn off your computer” message upon signing out of my Windows user account. I know that if I restart my computer Windows Update will occur, the update will fail, and I will be stuck without a computer for a few hours waiting for Windows to revert settings post-fail. But I need to work, so using a slow computer that lags on every keystroke (driving me crazy) will have to do for the time being.

Updates provide improved security and reliability on a computer system. Updates help patch bugs and vulnerabilities that may face a computer system. Windows recommended updates also address non-critical problems and allegedly help enhance the computing experience. While this is true (aside from the enhancement part for some), Windows Automatic Update is still a demon that needs to be chained up in the basement next to Sloth, so Sloth can eat him like a baby Ruth.

The only realistic option to stop the evil Windows Automatic Update from happening is to disable the little monster. This is quite easy and can also be accomplished when setting up a new computer for the first time.

How to turn off Windows Automatic Updates

The instructions on this page detail how to turn off Windows Automatic Updates on Microsoft Windows 8. To disable or change Windows Automatic Updates on Windows 8 follow each step.

1. Right click the bottom left corner of your computer screen and select Control Panel.

2. Click or open the System and Security section of the Control Panel.

3. Under the Windows Update section click “Turn automatic updating on or off.” If you do not see this option, click Windows Update and select “Change settings” on the left side menu of the window.

4. On the Choose your Windows Update settings window locate the Important updates drop-down menu and select “Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them” or “Never check for updates (not recommended)” and click the OK button. You may also choose to “Download updates but let me choose where to install them” to disable Windows from automatically updating.

• Location: Control Panel\System and Security\Windows Update\Change settings